The Grounds of Alexandria, Alexandria

I keep hearing about how spectacular The Grounds of Alexandria are from various food blogs and also from one of my friends who is obsessed with all the cafes at Alexandria. So I thought it was finally time to go check it out.

The Grounds of Alexandria is exactly as the name describes; it consists of an indoor cafe along with a large garden with plenty of outdoor seating, fresh produce and even a playground area. It’s probably one of the most family friendly venues I’ve seen (besides from McDonald’s). We’re here today for lunch on a Sunday and it is packed full. We are advised that it will be an hour long wait for indoor seating or that we can purchase takeaway and eat on the open grounds – needless to say we chose the outdoor option on this beautiful sunny day.

The Grounds Granola (seasonal fruit and vanilla bean yoghurt) – $7

To start off I take the healthy option of some granola. This is heaped up with some creamy vanilla yoghurt and berry compote. It is simple, fresh and delicious but I find that the ratio of granola to yoghurt is overwhelming. When I have finished the yoghurt, there is still a large amount of granola left and it is far too dry to eat by itself.

Three Cheese Toastie (tomato, rocket and balsamic dressing) – $6.50

Next up is the cheese toastie. The bread used tastes like wholemeal which is very healthy, combating the cheese I am about to eat! It is crispy and toasty on the outside with a light layer of cheese and tomato inside. There isn’t much rocket flavour but the balsamic dressing adds some extra flavour to the toastie.

Chicken Burger & Chips – $13

Yvn gets one of the specials which is the chicken burger. This contains cheese, chilli, mayonnaise and coleslaw and is absolutely delicious. The chicken inside is fried and tastes exactly like KFC chicken but with fresher and less processed ingredients – a gourmet KFC burger! The chips are also crispy with juicy potato and provides a bit of guilty pleasure following the healthy items I had eaten before that.

Fresh Squeezed Juice (Autumn – Orange & Ruby Red Grapefruit)

To wash all the food down I get an ‘Autumn’ juice which is orange and ruby red grapefruit. Although appearing orange in colour, grapefruit is definitely the dominant flavour and acts as a perfect palate cleanser in between all the food items.

Custard Tart, approx $4.50

Yvn had high expectations for this tart, given that she enjoyed the Chicken Burger immensely and the tart looked just like the gorgeous ones over at Bourke Street Bakery which we both love…but unfortunately, the base of the tart was a bit stale tasting and wasn’t as crumbly as it could be. The custard itself was reasonable, but the texture and taste of it just wasn’t that exciting.

Overall, I am very impressed by The Grounds of Alexandria. They serve up delicious food, have a beautiful open setting and is also dog and family friendly. It’s everything you could want from a cafe and if the long queues are any indication of its appeal, I know this will become a regular hangout of mine throughout the spring and summer months.

Who are we?

Excuse Me Waiter is a documented food and travel adventure run by two hungry Gen Y food fanatics DK & Yvn. Based in both Sydney and Tokyo, we're constantly on the search for the tastiest experiences, wherever it may be around the globe.